Air deflectors such as side air deflectors designed for use at the interface of a vehicle air intake and cooling pack (radiator, fan, etc.) are typically slotted or disconnected at the corners. This promotes fit and drainage, and further advantageously reduces imposition of potentially excessive forces by the air deflector on the cooling pack, such as when an impact to the air deflector is received or forces imposed by relative movement of a vehicle chassis to elements of the vehicle engine compartment such as the cooling pack.
However, such slotting or disconnection at the corners reduces efficiency of airflow. Particularly for small-package and high-efficiency air cooling systems wherein it is necessary to maintain smoothness and integrity of airflow passing through the vehicle front air intake, through the deflector, and to the cooling pack, such unsealed air deflector corner portions allow unacceptable airflow leakage that negatively impacts efficiency of the airflow-based cooling.
Accordingly, a need in the art exists for vehicle air deflectors providing highly efficient airflow seals to meet modern cooling standards.